Tourism Como - Italy

Como: Tourism information Como

Como

Como (Comm in the local dialect of Lombard language) is a city in Lombardy, Italy, 45 km north of Milan. Situated on Lake Como, it is the capital of the province of Como.

Como: History

The hills surrounding the current location of Como were inhabited in prehistoric times, at least since the Bronze Age. Remains of settlements are still present on the wood covered hills to the South West of town. The people that inhabited these settlements were known as the Orobii, a Celtic tribe.
Around the 1st century BC the territory became subjected to the Romans. The first center was situated on the nearby hills, but it was then moved to its current location by order of Julius Caesar, who had the swamp near the southern tip of the lake drained and laid the plan of the walled city in the typical grid of perpendicular streets. The newly founded town was named Novum Comum and had the status of municipium.
In 774 the town surrendered to the invasion of the Franks led by Charlemagne, and it became a center of commercial exchange.
In 1127 Como lost the decade-long war against the nearby town of Milan. A few decades later, with the help of Frederick Barbarossa, the Comaschi could avenge their defeat when Milan was destroyed in 1162. Frederick promoted the construction of several defensive towers around the city limits, of which only one remains, the Baradello.
From then on the history of Como followed that of the Ducato di Milano, through the French invasion, then the Spanish domination until 1714, when the territory was taken by the Austrians. Napoleon descended into Lombardy in 1796 and ruled it until 1815, when the Austrian rule was resumed after the Congress of Vienna. Finally in 1859, with the arrival of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the town was freed from the Austrians and it became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy.
At the end of World War II, after passing through Como on his escape towards Switzerland, Mussolini was taken prisoner and then shot by Comaschi partisans in Giulino di Mezzegra, a small town on the north shores of Como Lake.
As a curiosity, the Rockefeller fountain that today stands in the Bronx Zoo in New York City was once in the main square by the lakeside. It was bought by William Rockefeller in 1902.

Como: Churches

Duomo (cathedral), begun in 1398 on the site of the previous Romanesque church of Santa Maria Maggiore. The façade was built in 1457, with the notable rose window and two Renaissance statues of the famous Comaschi, Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger. The interior is on the Latin cross plan, with a nave and two aisles divided by pilasters. The transept wing and the relative apses are from the 18th century. It include a carved 16th century choir and tapestries on cartoons by Giuseppe Arcimboldi. The dome is by Filippo Juvarra.
San Fedele, a Romanesque church erected around 1120 over a pre-existing central plan edifice. The contemporary bell tower was rebuilt in modern times. The main feautre is the famous Door of St. Fedele, carved with medieval decorations.
Sant'Agostino, built by the Cistercians in the early 14th century, but largely renovated in the 20th century. The interior and the annexed cloister have frescoes from the 15th-17th centuries, but most of the decoration comes from the Baroque era.
The Romanesque church of Sant'Abbondio, consecrated in 1095 by Pope Urban II. The interior, with a nave and four aisles, contains beautiful paintings dating to the 11th century and frescoes from the 14th.
San Carpoforo (11th century, apse and crypt from 12th century). According to tradition, it was founded re-using a former temple of the God Mercury to house the remains of St. Carpophorus and other local martyrs.

Como: Public edifices and other sights

Broletto (ancient Town Hall)
Casa del Fascio, possibly Giuseppe Terragni's most famous work. It has been described as an early "landmark of modern European architecture".
Monumento ai caduti (by Giuseppe Terragni)
Teatro Sociale (by Giuseppe Cusi)
Villa Olmo, built from 1797 in neoclassicist style by the Odescalchi family. It housed Napoleon Bonaparte, Ugo Foscolo, Metternich, Emperor Francis Ferdinand I, Giuseppe Garibaldi and other eminent figures. It is now seat of exhibitions.
Villa Melzi (1808-1810), with a magnificent panorama over the Lake. It has a famous giardino all'Italiana. According to tradition, Franz Liszt composed here some of his most famous piano sonatas.
Villa Carlotta (c. 1690). It has an English-style park, and a collection of marbles by Canova, reliefs by Thorvaldsen and others.
Ancient walls (medieval)
Castello Baradello, a small medieval castle.

Como: Museums

Musei Civici
Museo archeologico "P. Giovio"
Museo Storico
Pinacoteca
Tempio Voltiano, a museum devoted to Alessandro Volta's work.
Museo della Seta
Museo Liceo classico "A. Volta"
Villa Olmo (expositions)

Como localities:
Albese Con Cassano Albiolo Alserio Alzate Brianza Anzano Del Parco Appiano Gentile Argegno Arosio Asso Barni BELLAGIO Bene Lario Beregazzo Con Figliaro Binago Bizzarone Blessagno Blevio Bregnano Brenna Brienno Brunate Bulgarograsso Cabiate Cadorago Caglio Cagno Campione D''italia Cantu'' Canzo Capiago Intimiano Carate Urio Carbonate Carimate CARLAZZO Carugo Casasco D''intelvi Caslino D''erba Casnate Con Bernate Cassina Rizzardi Castelmarte Castelnuovo Bozzente Castiglione D''intelvi Cavallasca Cavargna Cerano D''intelvi Cermenate Cernobbio Cirimido Civenna Claino Con Osteno Colonno COMO Consiglio Di Rumo Corrido Cremia Cucciago Cusino Dizzasco Domaso Dongo Dosso Del Liro Drezzo Erba Eupilio Faggeto Lario Faloppio Fenegro'' Figino Serenza Fino Mornasco Garzeno Gera Lario Germasino Gironico Grandate Grandola Ed Uniti GRAVEDONA Griante Guanzate Inverigo Laglio Laino Lambrugo Lanzo D''intelvi Lasnigo Lenno Lezzeno Limido Comasco Lipomo Livo Locate Varesino Lomazzo Longone Al Segrino Luisago Lurago D''erba Lurago Marinone Lurate Caccivio Magreglio Mariano Comense Maslianico Menaggio Merone Mezzegra Moltrasio Monguzzo Montano Lucino Montemezzo Montorfano Mozzate Musso Nesso Novedrate Olgiate Comasco Oltrona Di San Mamette Orsenigo Ossuccio Pare'' Peglio Pellio Intelvi Pianello Del Lario Pigra Plesio Pognana Lario Ponna Ponte Lambro Porlezza Proserpio Pusiano Ramponio Verna Rezzago Rodero Ronago Rovellasca Rovello Porro Sala Comacina SAN BARTOLOMEO VAL CAVARGNA San Fedele Intelvi San Fermo Della Battaglia San Nazzaro Val Cavargna SCHIGNANO Senna Comasco Solbiate SORICO Sormano Stazzona Tavernerio Torno Tremezzo Trezzone Turate Uggiate Trevano Val Rezzo Valbrona Valmorea Valsolda Veleso Veniano Vercana Vertemate Con Minoprio Villa Guardia Zelbio

Part of the information regarding the history, the art, the traditions and the events of the province of present Como on this page is drawn from the situated one www.wikipedia.org respecting the GNU Free Documentation License.